VOLUME 2, ISSUE 33
September 9, 2020
15th Sunday after Pentecost
Psalm 114
Exodus 14:19-31
Romans 14:1-12
Matthew 18:21-35
SUN. SEPTEMBER 13TH - 10:00AM
Officiants: Rev. Angela Lerena and Cathedral/Diocese Staff Clergy
Preacher: Rev. Stephanie Johnson
SUNDAY SCHOOL
SUNDAYS @ 9:15AM
(THIS SUNDAY STARTS AT 9AM)

SUNDAY WORSHIP
SUNDAYS @ 10:00AM

SUNDAY COFFEE HOUR
SUNDAYS @ 11:00AM

GOSPEL OF MARK BIBLE STUDY
THURSDAYS @ 6:00PM
ALL ON-CAMPUS ACTIVITIES
ARE SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY

CATHEDRAL BREAKFAST CLUB
FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH
NEXT: October 3
9:30AM | ZOOM
ALL ARE WELCOME!
THE CREEK FIRE
Dear St. James Family,

As you know by now, The Creek Fire started Friday near Big Creek and Huntington Lake in Fresno County and has burned over 163,000 acres. The devastating fire has impacted the close-knit mountain communities just outside Fresno. For so many in our St. James Family, these mountain communities have been a place of retreat and respite. There are some in our congregation who have been directly or indirectly impacted by this terrible event.

Within our Diocesan community, both the Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst (ECCO) and St. Raphael’s (Oakhurst) are under an evacuation warning. All of the ECCO staff have safely evacuated, and there is no fire currently on the ECCO property. Our own Reverend Angela, her husband Rico, and their four-legged family, who live on the ECCO's grounds have evacuated. If you would like to assist Rev. Angela and her family with gift card donations to Vons or GrubHub, please send them to the Cathedral or electronically to Angela's email.

The Diocese will be providing updates on ECCO and St. Raphael’s as information becomes available. In the meantime, please continue to pray for the victims of this and all of the fires raging in California. Also, please pray unceasingly for the brave women and men fighting these fires. We are so thankful for their bravery and service.

Stay safe. Stay indoors, if you can. Take care of others during these difficult days.

May God continue to watch over this fragile Earth and the whole human family!

Blessings,

Dean Ryan Newman
A PRAYER FOR THOSE FACING WILDFIRES
O God, our refuge and strength,
our help in times of trouble.
Have mercy on the lands
damaged by fires.
Have mercy on the lands
where the weather has destroyed livelihoods.
Protect those who evacuate houses,
and strengthen those who rebuild hope
so that entire communities
may face the future without fear.
Amen.
A PRAYER FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
Blessed are you, Lord, God of mercy, who through your Son gave us a marvelous example of charity and the great commandment of love for one another. Send down your blessings on these your servants, who so generously devote themselves to helping others. Grant them courage when they are afraid, wisdom when they must make quick decisions, strength when they are weary, and compassion in all their work. When the alarm sounds and they are called to aid both friend and stranger, let them faithfully serve you in their neighbor. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
Sunday, October 4th - Participate virtually!
The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi commemorates the life of the patron saint of animals and the environment. It is fitting that the month-long "Season of Creation" that started on September 1st ends on October 4th, the Feast of St. Francis.

In remembrance of St. Francis' love for all creatures, you and your pet(s) are invited to a "Virtual Blessing of the Animals" on the feast day, October 4th at 10:00AM.

To facilitate the virtual blessings, we are asking you to register your animal(s) for their blessing by clicking on the "register button" below. Please fill out the form and if at all possible, please submit a photo.

Participants do not need to be a member of the Cathedral Congregation--everyone is welcome to participate. Share the virtual blessing with your family, friends, and neighbors. The registration deadline is Wednesday, September 30th at 5:00PM. 

For the youngest among us who might not have a pet, but a favorite stuffed animal, they are welcome to register their furry friend for a blessing too.
SUNDAY SCHOOL BEGINS SUNDAY!
Cathedral launches virtual offering school-aged kids
When the Sunday School Steering Committee began meeting back in winter, they had circled the second Sunday in September as the launch date of Sunday School. It has been well over a decade since Sunday School has been offered at St. James Cathedral.

Since those first meetings, a lot has happened in the world, but the Sunday School Steering Committee remained steadfast in realizing the Cathedral's vision to resurrect Christian Education for our youngest members of the Cathedral congregation.

This Sunday, September 13th, St. James Sunday School launches digitally. The kick-off session will begin with student check-in at 9:00AM and the lesson will begin at 9:15AM. The first day of Sunday School is designed for the whole family to join-in. The morning will include the blessing of the teachers and the students. During the digital church period, St. James Sunday School is open to all school-aged children in the Diocese. Registration is required to participate and is still open!

We invite you to check out the St. James Children’s Ministry web page for more about our ministry with children and our curriculum Weaving God’s Promises.
CHAPTER NOMINATIONS
Forms available. Due by September 30th!
The Nominating Committee is seeking individuals interested in serving on Chapter for a three-year term. Three Chapter positions will be selected this year. Nomination forms can be downloaded online. Nomination forms are due by Wednesday, September 30th at 8:00AM. Members of the Cathedral Congregation can nominate someone or themselves for consideration.

As a member of the Cathedral’s governance body, Chapter Members are charged with shaping St. James’ vision for the future. Those called to serve on Chapter are expected to attend monthly meetings, actively participate in the life and leadership of the congregation, and prayerfully share their gifts and talents for the betterment of the whole Cathedral community.
“It is crucial that we have three new members of Chapter who are eager to serve and excited about the future of the Cathedral,” said Dean Ryan.

“Chapter members, current and future, will need to be engaged, collaborative, and prophetic as we continue to resurrect St. James Cathedral and serve the people of the Central Valley and the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin.”

A final election ballot slate will be published in October in the Midweek Missive. Due to COVID-19, voting by the Cathedral Congregation will need occur electronically and by mail-in ballots. Chapter is currently working to devise a process to conduct the voting.

As the Cathedral of the Diocese of San Joaquin, Chapter Members are ultimately elected by "confirmation" of Diocese Convention. Following a confirming vote by the Diocesan Convention, persons elected to Chapter will assume office at the annual meeting of the Cathedral congregation (January 2021).

If you have questions or want additional information, please speak to Dean Ryan, the Deacons, and/or any member of Chapter.
Thanks to the generosity of the Cathedral Congregation and friends, the long-awaited Food Bank Renovation Project is underway.
The new home for the St. James Food Bank will be located in four "classrooms" on the western-end of the education building. The newly renovated space will allow our Food Bank to better serve the community.
NEW SERVICE-ENTRY DOUBLE DOORS
UPDATED BATHROOM
Additional funds to complete the Food Bank transformation are still needed and welcomed. If you would like to make a donation to the project, please visit our online Cathedral Donation page or send a check to the Cathedral Office.
Preacher: The Reverend Terrance Goodpasture
Date: Sunday, September 6
During the month of July the St. James Youth group will be meeting weekly on Tuesdays at 6PM. All youth ages 10-18 are welcome to join. The Youth Group has begun a new Bible Series on the Parables of Jesus.
If you're interested in joining, email Kourinthia at sjyouth@stjamesfresno.org
WORSHIP

St. James offers Sunday worship each Sunday at 10:00AM on our YouTube Channel, Facebook Page, and Website. Archives of these services are available.
SERVICE PROGRAMS

Starting this Sunday, we will once again begin offering digital service programs. Visit the St. James website to download the program. If possible, for our creation care work, please do not print the program.
SERVICE SURVEY

To help us improve our digital church experience, please evaluate your experience of our "live stream service," by taking a moment to complete a short survey following Sunday's service.
Check Cabinets for Expired Medicine and Properly Dispose of Them
Avoid flushing medicines and other dangerous chemicals in the toilet or washing them down the sink. Instead, find your local med disposal location and take them there. This will help keep water clean and drug-free for other people drink and animals and plants to live in and consume. ​
The Midweek Missive has launched a new occasional feature called, Gospel Perspective.

In this section, we will feature images, cartoons, video clips, and quotes intended to inspire reflection, discernment, conversation, and prayer--imagine a very brief, midweek sermon for your heart and mind.

We also invite you to submit content for "Gospel Perspective" by emailing us.

We encourage you to take a few seconds to reflect and consider the Gospel perspective and implications.
DIGITAL COFFEE - SUNDAYS AT 11AM
To participate, log into the Cathedral Coffee Hour on Zoom. The meeting password is " james4147". You can also join the conversation by phone. Call (669) 900-6833 and enter the meeting ID 821-8772-3828. You will be prompted to enter the phone password "492292".
BIBLE STUDY: THE GOSPEL OF MARK
Currently meeting weekly, Thursdays at 6:00PM on Zoom. For more information please email Emily Niblick.
CATHEDRAL BREAKFAST CLUB
Meets the first Saturday of each monthly at 9:30AM on Zoom. These gatherings are open to all. To join via Zoom, click here. There is also a call-in option: (669) 900-6833 - Meeting ID: 894 7483 4226 - Passcode: 230840797.
PASTORAL CARE
he clergy of St. James remain deeply committed to offering pastoral care and support to members of the Cathedral Congregation especially during this difficult time. If a pastoral need arises for you or someone you know in the congregation, and you want to contact the clergy, please either email us at clergy@stjamesfresno.org or call the Cathedral office at (559) 439-5011 and select option 5 to leave a message for the clergy.
By the last weekend in February, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s delegation had been preparing for three months to travel to the 64th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
From her home in Stratford, Connecticut, 18-year-old Fabiola Millien-Faustin helped a woman in Pakistan buy supplies for a small business that makes discarded tires into sandals. In nearby Ridgefield, Kayleigh Bowler, 17, loaned money to a single mother from Togo for a bakery business. A microloan from Dana Walters, 16, of Bridgeport helped a family in Venezuela buy sewing kits.
As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, it is clear that what many in The Episcopal Church thought at first would be a temporary disruption – a few Sundays away from church and then a joyous return to normalcy – is now the new normal. While some churches have resumed in-person worship, either outdoors or with limited capacity, most are primarily relying on online worship for the foreseeable future.
By now, no concept or idea is too off-the-wall for the Rev. Barry Randolph and his congregation at Church of the Messiah in Detroit. More than 200 affordable housing units run by the church? Check. Free internet for residents who didn’t have access? Done. A growing list of incubated businesses with products ranging from tea to deodorant to a clothing line? No problem.
Refugee advocates have welcomed the Government’s Budget 2020 funding that expands the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) pilot from 25 places in 2018, up to 150 places across 2021-2023.
If you have any feedback, comments, or questions for the Midweek Missive Editors, please email us. Submissions to the Midweek Missive are welcomed and must be submitted to midweek@stjamesfresno.org by Tuesday at noon.